Resilient mounting for track rollers

ABSTRACT

An arrangement for resiliently mounting track rollers to the track roller frame of a tractor or other track laying vehicle wherein preloaded resilient pads are employed to provide a firm mounting under normal conditions while deflecting under shock loads to dampen shock load vibrations. The mounting permits independent removal of each roller without disturbing its preload condition.

United States Patent Alexander et al.

1451 Oct. 3, 1972 [S4] RESILIENT MOUNTING FOR TRACK ROLLERS Inventors:George F. Alexander, Pekin; Orville E. Kessinger, Jr., Mackinaw; John R.Rediger, Washington; Harold L. Reinsma, Dunlap, all of 111.

Assignee: Caterpillar Tractor Co., Peoria, 111.

Filed: Sept. 2, 1970 Appl. No.: 69,028

US. (:1 ..305/27, 267/63 1111. C1. ..B62d 55/16 Field 61 Search..305/27, 28; 280/1045; 267/63;

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Danner j 2,287,575 6/ 1942Sensenich 105/ 197 A 1,443,556 l/1923 Beal ..305/27 X 3,336,087 8/1967Reinsma ..305/ 27 2,775,492 12/1956 Wirkkala ..305/28 2,360,619 10/1944Peterman ..267/63 R Primary Examiner-Richard J. Johnson Attomey-Fryer,Tjensvold, Feix, Phillips & Lempio [57] ABSTRACT An arrangement forresiliently mounting track rollers to the track roller fi'ame of atractor or other track laying vehicle wherein preloaded resilient padsare employed to provide a firm mounting under normal conditions whiledeflecting under shock loads to dampen shock load vibrations. Themounting permits independent removal of each roller without disturbingits preload condition.

6 Clains, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEDums I972 SHEETIUFZ INVENTORS GEORGEF. ALEXANDER ORVILLE E. KESSINGER, JR. JOHN R. REDIGER HAROLD L. REINSMAPATENTEDnm 3 I972 SHEET E OF 2 INVENTORS GEORGE F. ALE

XANDER ATTORNEYS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION While operating in rock ateither slow or high speeds, the track rollers of a tractor, or the like,realize high shock loads which shorten tractor service life as well asgive the operator a rough ride. In an effort to improve service life andthe suspension characteristics of a tractor, considerable work has beendone in the field of resiliently mounted track rollers.

Most resilient mounting designs have involved the use of rubber bushingsto support the track rollers, idlers, and sprocket rims. However, suchresilient means have generally proven unsatisfactory due to eitherinsufficient or excessive freedom of deflection under shock loads.Various other mounting designs have made use of resilient mounting padsto provide a floating suspension of the track rollers. However, such padtype of mountings have heretofore suffered from various limitations anddisadvantages, primarily due to lack of a means of successfully loadingthe resilient pad members in both compression and shear. Further, withprevious designs it has not been possible to remove an individual trackroller for servicing, or the like, without disturbing its own as well asadjacent roller preload conditions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The general object of the present invention isto provide a mounting wherein resilient rubber pads preloaded incompression and shear resiliently mount individual track rollers of atrack laying vehicle to provide a floating action and dampen shock loadsimparted to the roller assembly, thereby increasing the life of eachroller, roller shaft, and associated bearings. The mounting furtherserves to improve the ride characteristics and dampen vibrations tothereby improve the durability of the entire vehicle. In accordance withan important feature of the mounting, removal of individual rollers forservice or replacement may be accomplished without disturbing otherrollers or the preload condition of the mounting.

in the accomplishment of the foregoing and other objects and advantages,a mounting in accordance with the present invention generally includes aplurality of longitudinally spaced resilient track roller assembliessecured in a longitudinally extending track roller frame. Each assemblycomprises a pair of oppositely inclined support plates securedtransversely between side plates of the frame to define a bottom openingroller support housing for receiving a support yoke including parallelspaced wedge shaped side members and interconnecting bridge plate.

Two pairs of resilient shear and compression pads are secured to thesupport plates adjacent the opposite side edges thereof to bear againstthe inclined edges of the yoke side members upon insertion into thehousing, and a resilient compression pad secured to the yoke bridgeplate bears against the top plate of the frame.

Retaining plates bolted to the base ends of the support plates actagainst the base ends of the yoke side members and upon tightening ofthe bolts draw the yoke into assembled position against the pads,thereby preloading the latter in shear and compression. A roller isjournalled between the base ends of the yoke side members and locked inplace by means of caps removably secured thereto. Thus, the preloadedpads of each assembly resiliently support the yoke, and therefore theroller thereof, and the roller may be removed from the assembly withoutdisturbing the preload condition by removing the caps to release theroller from the yoke.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of atractor embodying the resilient track roller mounting of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view with portions broken away ofthe resilient mounting.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the resilient mounting.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIG. 1in detail, there is shown a tractor 11 having a plurality oflongitudinally spaced track roller mounting assemblies 12 in accordancewith the present invention carried by a longitudinally extending trackroller frame 13 and resiliently supporting a plurality of track rollers14 traversed by an endless track 16.

Each assembly 12 includes a pair of support plates 17 and 18 secured bywelding or the like transversely between main side plates 19 and 21 ofthe roller frame 13. The support plates are oppositely longitudinallyinclined with respect to each other to extend divergingly downward froma top plate 22 of the frame.

The leading and trailing plates 18 and 17 respectively of adjacentassemblies 12 abut each other adjacent the lower end of the frame tothereby define a V-shaped configuration. In this manner, the supportplates in conjunction with the side and top plates of the frame define alongitudinal succession of bottom opening upwardly converging rollersupport housings, one for each mounting assembly 12.

The support housing of each assembly 12 serves to receive a support yoke23 which is arranged to journal one of the track rollers 14 for rotationabout a transverse horizontal axis.

More particularly, the yoke preferably includes a pair of paralleltransversely spaced wedge shaped side members 24 interconnected adjacenttheir upper ends by means of a transversely extending bridge plate 26.The yoke side members are preferably relatively thick such that theiroppositely inclined end edges 27 and 28 are relatively wide. Such edgesare at substantially the same angles as the support plates 17 and 18 soas to be in parallel spaced relation thereto when the yoke is receivedin the support housing.

The bridge plate 26 is spaced downwardly from the upper ends of the sidemembers 24, as shown in FIG. 3, for purposes subsequently described. Inaddition, the inclined edges of the side members are preferably formedat their base ends with outwardly flared lips 29 and 31.

To facilitate joumalling of the roller 14, the bases of the side membersare best centrally provided with areaate notches 32 for receiving axlepins 33 of the roller. With the pins engaging the notches, the rollerproper is journalled transversely between the yoke side members.

Retention of the roller in journalled position is then effected by meansof caps 34 removably secured to the bases of the side members with bolts36 or the like, such caps having arcuate portions bridging the notches32 and engaging the axle pins. Consequently, removal of the roller fromthe assembly 12 may be easily accomplished by detaching the caps fromthe yoke side members.

Considering now the particularly salient aspects of the invention, it isto be noted that the yoke 23 is resiliently mounted within the supporthousing in a manner which afiords preloading in both compression andshear of resilient mounting pads employed therein to provide cushioning.

More particularly, pairs of resilient shear and compression pads 37 aresecured to the support plates 17 and 18 adjacent the opposite side edgesthereof in positions to bear against the inclined edges 27 and 28 of theside members 24 of the web when same is inserted into the bottom openingof the support housing defined within the frame 13 by the supportplates.

A compression pad 38 secured to the bridge plate 26 of the yoke extendsbeyond the upper ends of the side members 24 to bear against the topplate 22 of the frame when the yoke is in inserted position.

Each of the pads 37 is preferably formed of a rectangular block 39 ofrubber with bonding plates 41 secured to the opposite major facesthereof. Dowels 42 projecting from one plate 41 of the respective pads37 engage holes 43 provided in the support plates 17 and 18 to therebylocate such pads in position to engage the yoke side members 24.

Similarly, pad 38 is formed of a rectangular block 44 of rubber withbonding plates 46 secured to the opposite major faces thereof. One plate46 is provided with dowels (not shown) for engaging holes 47 in the yokebridge plate 26, thereby fixing pad 38 in position to abut the top plate22.

To facilitate the previously noted preloading of the pads 37 and 38,means are provided to retentatively urge the yoke upwardly into thesupport housing within the frame 13 and thereby compress the pads 37 and38. To these ends, provision is made to bolt retaining plates 48 to thebase ends of the support plates 17 and 18 adjacent the opposite sideedges thereof in positions to act upwardly against the lips 29 and 31 atthe base ends of the yoke side members 24.

More particularly, mounting feet 49 are preferably secured to the baseintersections of the support plates 18 and -& of adjacent supporthousing adjacent the opposite sides thereof. Bolts 51, or equivalentfasteners, threading taps in the feet 49 are then employed to secure theretaining plates 48 thereto, with the plates longitudinallyprojectingbeyond the opposite ends of the feet so as to engage the lips of theyokes of two adjacent mounting assemblies 12. Upon tightening of thebolts 51, the retaining plates force the yokes upward and compress theirassociated pads 37 and 38. In this manner the pads are preloaded and theyokes are retained in mounted position.

With the pads 37 and 38 of a mounting assembly 12 preloaded in themanner just described, 17 will be appreciated that the yoke 23, androller 14 thereby carried, are resiliently supported by the pads in bothcompression and shear. A firm mounting of the roller is provided undernormal conditions while deflection is permitted under shock loads todampen shock load vibrations. In this manner, ride characteristics ofthe tractor 1 1 are improved and vehicle service life is extended.

In addition, each roller 14 may be removed independently withoutdisturbing its preload condition merely by removing the bolts 36 andcaps 34 securing the roller to its associated resiliently mountedsupport yoke 23.

Although the invention has been hereinbefore described and illustratedin the accompanying drawings with respect to a single preferredembodiment, it will be appreciated that numerous modifications andchanges may be made therein without departing from the true spirit andscope of the invention, and thus it is not intended to limit theinvention except by the terms of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A track roller resilient mounting comprising a track roller mountingframe for longitudinal securance to the body of a track laying vehicle,means defining at least one bottom opening support housing within saidframe including opposed longitudinally inclined upwardly convergingtransverse walls, a wedge shaped support yoke comprising a pair ofparallel spaced wedge shaped side members with a transverselyinterconnecting bridge plate therebetween, said yoke extending upwardlyinto each housing and including inclined edge portions in parallelspaced relation to said transverse walls, said side members each havingoppositely longitudinally inclined end edges terminating at their baseends in longitudinally outwardly projecting lips, resilient pad meanscomprising four resilient pads respectively interposed between said endedges of said side members and said transverse walls and a fifth padinterposed between said bridge plate and upper wall of said frame,retaining plates for engagement with the base end of said yoke, andthreaded fastener means securing said retaining plates to the base endsof said transverse walls to retain said housing in a position ofcompressive engagement with said pads, said retaining plates engagingsaid lips of said side members to force said yoke upwardly in saidhousing, a track roller journaled to each said yoke, and means forremovably securing each roller to each corresponding yoke for journaledrotation about a transverse axis.

2. A mounting according to claim 1, further defined by said yoke sidemembers having arcuate notches centrally of their base ends, said rollertransversely disposed between said side members and having axle pinsengaging said notches, said removable securing means including capsremovably secured to the base ends of said yoke side members witharcuate portions bridging said notches.

3. A mounting according to claim 1, further defined by said pads eachincluding a rectangular block of rubber with bonding plates secured tothe opposite major faces thereof, one bonding plate of each pad havingdowels projecting therefrom, the dowels of said four pads engaging holesin said transverse walls, the dowels of said fifth pad engaging holes insaid bridge plate.

4. A track roller resilient mounting comprising a track roller mountingframe for longitudinal securance to the body of a track laying vehicle,means defining at least one bottom opening support housing within saidframe including oppositely longitudinally inclined upwardly convergingtransverse walls, said transverse walls comprising oppositelylongitudinally inclined support plates secured transversely between sidewalls of said frame and upwardly converging to a top wall of said frame,leading and trailing support plates respectively of adjacent housingsconverging at their base ends to define a V-shaped configuration, awedgeshaped support yoke extending upwardly into each housing andincluding inclined edge portions in parallel spaced relation to saidtransverse walls, resilient pad means interposed between said inclinededge portions of said yoke and said transverse walls and between the topof said yoke and upper wall of said housing, retaining means includingmounting feet secured to the base ends of said leading and trailingsupport plates of adjacent housings adjacent the sides thereof andengaging each yoke to retain same within said housing in a position ofcompressive engagement with said pad means, a track roller journaled toeach yoke, and retaining plates bolted to said feet and longitudinallyprojecting beyond the opposite ends thereof to engage the base ends ofthe yokes disposed in adjacent housings for securing each roller to eachcorresponding yoke for journaled rotation about a transverse axis.

5. A mounting according to claim 4, further defined by said yokecomprising a pair of parallel spaced wedge shaped side members with atransversely interconnecting bridge plate therebetween, said sidemembers each having oppositely longitudinally inclined side edgesterminating at their base ends in longitudinally outwardly projectinglips, said pad means comprising four resilient rectangular bonded rubberpads respectively interposed between said end edges of said side membersand said support plates and a fifth resilient rectangular bonded rubberpad interposed between said bridge plate and top wall of said frame,said four pads having dowels projecting therefrom and engaging holes insaid support plates, said fifth pad having dowels projecting therefromand engaging holes in said bridge plate, said retaining plates eachengaging lips of the side members of two yokes disposed in two adjacenthousings.

6. A mounting according to claim 5, further defined by said yoke sidemembers of each yoke having arcuate notches centrally of their baseends, each roller transversely disposed between said side members of oneof said yokes and engaging said notches, thereof, said removablesecuring means including caps removably secured to the base ends of saidyoke side members with arcuate portions bridging said notches.

Patent No.

GEORGEF. ALEXANDER-at a1 Inventor(s) It is certified that error appearsin the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are herebycorrected as shown below:

Column 3: line 53: delete "-85" and insert -17-. line 65: delete "17"and insert ---it-- Claim 3, line 1: delete "1"and insert -2--.

Signed and sealed this 8th day of May 1973.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. I ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissionerof Patents

1. A track roller resilient mounting comprising a track roller mountingframe for longitudinal securance to the body of a track laying vehicle,means defining at least one bottom opening support housing within saidframe including opposed longitudinally inclined upwardly convergingtransverse walls, a wedge shaped support yoke comprising a pair ofparallel spaced wedge shaped side members with a transverselyinterconnecting bridge plate therebetween, said yoke extending Upwardlyinto each housing and including inclined edge portions in parallelspaced relation to said transverse walls, said side members each havingoppositely longitudinally inclined end edges terminating at their baseends in longitudinally outwardly projecting lips, resilient pad meanscomprising four resilient pads respectively interposed between said endedges of said side members and said transverse walls and a fifth padinterposed between said bridge plate and upper wall of said frame,retaining plates for engagement with the base end of said yoke, andthreaded fastener means securing said retaining plates to the base endsof said transverse walls to retain said housing in a position ofcompressive engagement with said pads, said retaining plates engagingsaid lips of said side members to force said yoke upwardly in saidhousing, a track roller journaled to each said yoke, and means forremovably securing each roller to each corresponding yoke for journaledrotation about a transverse axis.
 2. A mounting according to claim 1,further defined by said yoke side members having arcuate notchescentrally of their base ends, said roller transversely disposed betweensaid side members and having axle pins engaging said notches, saidremovable securing means including caps removably secured to the baseends of said yoke side members with arcuate portions bridging saidnotches.
 3. A mounting according to claim 1, further defined by saidpads each including a rectangular block of rubber with bonding platessecured to the opposite major faces thereof, one bonding plate of eachpad having dowels projecting therefrom, the dowels of said four padsengaging holes in said transverse walls, the dowels of said fifth padengaging holes in said bridge plate.
 4. A track roller resilientmounting comprising a track roller mounting frame for longitudinalsecurance to the body of a track laying vehicle, means defining at leastone bottom opening support housing within said frame includingoppositely longitudinally inclined upwardly converging transverse walls,said transverse walls comprising oppositely longitudinally inclinedsupport plates secured transversely between side walls of said frame andupwardly converging to a top wall of said frame, leading and trailingsupport plates respectively of adjacent housings converging at theirbase ends to define a V-shaped configuration, a wedge-shaped supportyoke extending upwardly into each housing and including inclined edgeportions in parallel spaced relation to said transverse walls, resilientpad means interposed between said inclined edge portions of said yokeand said transverse walls and between the top of said yoke and upperwall of said housing, retaining means including mounting feet secured tothe base ends of said leading and trailing support plates of adjacenthousings adjacent the sides thereof and engaging each yoke to retainsame within said housing in a position of compressive engagement withsaid pad means, a track roller journaled to each yoke, and retainingplates bolted to said feet and longitudinally projecting beyond theopposite ends thereof to engage the base ends of the yokes disposed inadjacent housings for securing each roller to each corresponding yokefor journaled rotation about a transverse axis.
 5. A mounting accordingto claim 4, further defined by said yoke comprising a pair of parallelspaced wedge shaped side members with a transversely interconnectingbridge plate therebetween, said side members each having oppositelylongitudinally inclined side edges terminating at their base ends inlongitudinally outwardly projecting lips, said pad means comprising fourresilient rectangular bonded rubber pads respectively interposed betweensaid end edges of said side members and said support plates and a fifthresilient rectangular bonded rubber pad interposed between said bridgeplate and top wall of said frame, said four pads having dowelsprojecting therefrom and engaging holes in said support plates, saidfifTh pad having dowels projecting therefrom and engaging holes in saidbridge plate, said retaining plates each engaging lips of the sidemembers of two yokes disposed in two adjacent housings.
 6. A mountingaccording to claim 5, further defined by said yoke side members of eachyoke having arcuate notches centrally of their base ends, each rollertransversely disposed between said side members of one of said yokes andengaging said notches, thereof, said removable securing means includingcaps removably secured to the base ends of said yoke side members witharcuate portions bridging said notches.